QU Chronicle

Issue date: 10/26/05 Section: Campus News

Pressing forward: Friends and supporters walk in the rain to raise awareness of depression and mental health issues. Some participants wore T-shirts with O´Neil´s name and graduation year.

Ryan O'Neil was a well-liked student on campus. He came to Quinnipiac to earn his masters as a physician's assistant. Through his journey on campus, he touched and impacted all of his friends' lives.

O'Neil, who hailed from Covina, Calif., became known as 'Cali' to many on campus. On March 22, 2004, O'Neil., who suffered from depresssion, committed suicide in an off-campus residence. This past Saturday, 49 members of the Quinnipiac community gathered in Westport, Conn., to walk in memory of Cali in the "Out of the Darkness" walk, sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

"It was [Ryan's] wish to inform people about depression and to teach people that it is a real illness, a real condition that people suffer from. The more awareness we spread, the stronger his message gets out to the community and the world," senior Stephanie Benedict said. Their walk was successful, raising $2,793.

Board members of the Entry Level Masters in Physician's Assistant (ELMPA) club came up with the idea to walk in remembrance of O'Neil. They spread the word through email to all of the ELMPA members and by word of mouth. Stephanie Langford, a member of the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) said they sold socks for $2 to raise money for the walk. The ELMPA also sold t-shirts (pictured above) as an additional fund raiser.

Participants in the walk hoped to spread awareness about depression. "We need to get word out there that asking for help is not a bad thing, depression is not something you should be ashamed of and we need to promote suicide prevention," Langford said. "People need to know that there are individuals who care and want to help and that they're not alone in fighting this disease."

Due to Cali's enduring influence on the people he came in contact with, many felt that participating in the walk was the least they could do to pay tribute to his memory. "I want to honor and thank him for everything he has done for me," senior Ariane Nievera said.

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